Mercedes-Benz will launch the all-electric B-Class in 2014. The series car was previewed last year at the Paris motor show as a near-production concept vehicle. The provisional technical details indicate a total amount of power of 100 kW (equal to 134 hp) and a peak torque of 310 Nm fully available at the touch of the gas pedal. The constructor boasts the new B-Class Electric Drive can do almost 200 kilometres on a single "tank".The forthcoming eco-friendly compact MPV under the Three-Pointed Star uses the modular ENERGY SPACE technical platform, that ensures an optimal integration of the rechargeable Li-Ion batteries right underneath the passenger cabin in order to counteract balance and dynamical issues due to added weight. "Refuelling" can be made at any domestic 230 V power supply or at a high-voltage 400 V rapid charge terminal, which takes under an hour.

The new electrically-powered B-Class is currently being tried out in cold weather conditions, somewhere in Northern Europe. The engineers are testing and evaluating the performance of the electric system that puts the W 242 into motion. It is particularly crucial to find out how the batteries can handle low temperatures and retain their "filling" as to not diminish the overall autonomy of the car.